


Even in death!

by fangirl2013



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Angst, Death, Emptiness, F/M, Grief, Love, Tragedy, effects
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-21
Updated: 2013-11-21
Packaged: 2018-01-02 06:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1053578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl2013/pseuds/fangirl2013
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: After Anne's death, Richard can't cope. Robert finally tries to do something about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even in death!

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I kind of decided not to do any writing about a week or so ago, given fact that my dad has passed away. Someone gave me the idea of doing some writing as a way of perhaps making me feel better. I know this is angsty but I really needed to get some of it out of my system!
> 
> I hope it's not too bad!

From the moment Richard had opened the door to Robert, Robert knew he had been right to be concerned. Just from Richard’s appearance it was obvious he wasn’t coping. His crinkled, crumpled clothes were one thing but the unshaven stubble growing upon Richard’s tired face and the scraggly hair adorning his head seemed to worry Robert even more. 

As Robert Brackenbury followed Richard into the living room, he couldn’t help but gape at the mess the room was in. Not only had Richard found every picture with Anne in, as they were scattered across the room, but as he looked around the room, Robert also saw some of her clothing. 

Richard hardly seemed to notice his friend’s presence as his focus was entirely upon the photo in his hands. 

“Richard?” Robert’s attempt to gain Richard’s attempt was completely futile as his gaze never left the photo. Apart of Robert hoped he would acknowledge his presence or at least, show that he had heard him but he hadn’t. 

For the first time since Richard had plopped down on the sofa, with the photo, in his hands, Robert finally allowed his own gaze to find it. 

From where he was standing, he could see just how intensely Richard was looking at the picture. It wasn’t just the hard, almost pained expression on his face that gave him away but it was something else. Every so often, Richard’s thumb seemed to caress Anne’s smiling face. 

Her smile seemed to illuminate the whole picture and although, excruciating pain was the only thing Richard seemed to be able to recognise in the mess that was his feelings, he also couldn't help but marvel at her smile. Richard felt tears start as he continued to stare at the smiling picture in his hands. 

“Richard? When was the last time you showered or eaten?” Despite the fact, Robert’s words were soft and calm; they surprisingly broke into Richard’s stupor. 

Raising a hand to wipe away the tears trailing down his cheeks, Richard attempted to answer him. 

“A couple of days or so, I think.” His words were lethargic even to his own ears, but even as he had spoken, his eyes had never left the picture in his hands. 

The worry that had been mounting from the moment Robert had entered the house seemed, in that moment, to get too much for him and when he spoke next, that worry seemed to spill into his words. 

“Well, why don't you go upstairs and have a shower? You can't go to work like that.” Robert had been worried about interfering but as he looked at Richard, and the despair around him, he knew he should have come earlier.

At his words, Richard made no move or even acknowledgment to his words. After about five minutes, he turned around to Robert and started to speak. 

“Why are you here? Can't you just leave me alone?” His words were painful for Robert to hear, especially, as Richard’s own resignation was completely obvious.

For a few moments, Robert had no idea what to say to him. The idea of bringing Anne up was painful to him but by the way Richard was looking at her picture, he also knew it would be a way of getting through to him. 

“I came to check on you. We're worried about you, especially, the people at the company.” His were cautious but Richard reacted immediately to his words, although, not in the way he had expected. 

At the mention of company, a slightly maniacal and bitter laugh broke free from Richard and for a few brief moments, his laugh was all that was heard in the house. 

“Ah, the company.” Richard repeated, tonelessly, his expression pained and broken. “Henry Tudor can have the company for all I care, right now.” 

Defeat wasn’t just in his words but it was also written on his face. The difference in him was almost painful for Robert to notice. He could understand why he was saying such a thing but after giving up so much for the company, it seemed even sadder that Richard’s prepared to give up his dreams. 

“I know that it feels like that right now, because you miss her but, perhaps, you'll feel differently when some time passes.” Richard knew just what his friend was doing. The soft tone of his words made it obvious to him but he couldn’t help but lose his composure slightly. 

“The company means nothing to me now. Not without Anne. I'd happily give up everything I own in a heartbeat if that would mean Anne would be here with me again.”

The earnestness in his voice brought a lump to Robert’s throat as he listened to him. His own tears threatened to overflow as he thought of the two of them together. 

The man in front of him wasn’t his friend. There was something missing in him. It was hard for him to notice but it was too obvious for him to ignore it. Anne had always had Richard’s heart, even as a small child running after him with her doll in clutched in her hands. Even in her death, it seemed she still claimed his heart.

“Anne would want you to be happy, Richard. You and I both know she would have wanted that.” Robert felt even worse for bringing Anne into it but he really didn’t know what else to say. 

Once again, Richard turned to Robert once more. Although, his grief was entirely palpable, his tiredness and his resignation were, as well.

“Anne died believing I loved another. I don’t deserve to be happy. I hurt the only woman I have ever truly loved when she needed me most!” It took all of Richard’s strength not to start crying and as he turned his attention back to the photo in his hands, he focused his attention on Anne’s smiling face.

The pain caused by her death was something he knew he'd have to live with but the empty feeling that was becoming stronger as each day passed was much harder to cope with.   
Robert, as he listened to Richard speak, wanted to deny even the possibility of Anne believing that Richard had been in love with Elizabeth but his own loyalty to Anne prevented him from doing that. 

Instead, he decided to say something else. 

“Even when you pretended to love Elizabeth because of the company, it was obvious you loved Anne. She would have known that!” His words were mainly to comfort Richard and whilst Richard tried to feel comforted by them, he couldn’t help but feel as if Robert was wrong. 

After all, Robert’s friendship had been the most constant thing in his life, apart from Anne’s love and respect, and he had to question whether he was simply saying to make him feel better. 

Turning his attention back to the photo, all he seemed to want was to be left alone. At least, that way he could think about Anne without being lied to. The thought that Robert was lying to him seemed to niggle at him and nothing he could say would make him any less dead inside. 

“Don’t you have things to do? I’m sure you do. Let me show you out!” His words were sharp and slightly abrupt and in other circumstances, he might have felt bad for how he had said it. 

At his words, Robert narrowed his eyes in confusion. As much as he had wanted to help Richard feel better, it was obvious that he had failed in that quest. 

Nodding slightly to Richard, Robert slowly made his way out of the house on his own, not before of course, leaving his jacket behind. As Richard heard the front door close slam loudly signalling Robert’s departure, Richard closed his eyes and sighed. 

Throughout Robert’s visit, all he had wanted to do was break down and sob but his own pride and his compassion for Robert had stopped him. 

However, he noticed Robert’s jacket on the arm of the sofa and almost instinctively, Richard grabbed it and abruptly made his way out of the house and straight to Robert. Once he was outside, the cold, crisp air hit his bare arms, leaving Goosebumps in its wake and for a few short seconds that was the only sensation he could feel. 

Apart of him was almost thankful for that. Up until that point, his pain had engulfed his senses as it had been the only thing he had been able to feel. With that thought still in his head, he noticed Robert on the other side of the road getting ready to drive away.

Without thinking or even looking for incoming traffic, he started to cross the road. 

The sound of the screeching tires had caught Robert’s attention long before Richard had even noticed it but whilst Robert had screamed for Richard to move, something in him stopped listening completely. 

The rapidly approaching car didn’t signal danger to him, anymore. He would have needed to feel alive for that, instead, it signalled release. 

As the car reached him, finally, sending him flying across the car bonnet, all Richard noticed was Robert rushing towards him with a horrified look on his face. He wanted to comfort him, in some way, at least but as he tried to open his mouth to speak, he found himself unable to. 

“Richard? Richard? Hang in there; I just need to ring the ambulance.” His words were hard to make out, as sobs clogged at his throat and threatened to break free. 

“D-don't worry. I’ll be fine now. I’ll be with my family again.” The words were a struggle to get out but after a couple attempts, he finally managed it.

Although, he had said it to comfort him, Robert’s tears finally broke free from him at his words and were by now, flowing freely down his cheeks. 

Looking up at Robert, Richard smiled, softly. His thoughts all on his family. His beautiful, loving, Anne and their little boy. The prospect of seeing them again filled his heart with joy and for the first time since Anne had died, he felt alive. 

The irony of that didn’t escape him and as he felt his life ebb away from him, slowly, a smile was still on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Please, please, please, please forgive me!
> 
> This broke my heart and I wrote it!


End file.
